main contractor and payments

[dcelectrical]

Hi, we have just finally completed a job fully rewiring a million pound plus house including sound and visual distribution, i have just had an email from the main contractor saying:

Please can you email me back labour and materials breakdown and supply all bills for material’s.



as i am a bit thick can anyone explain this to me, and is this normal practice?


Thanks

 

[dagrat]

I would present him with a copy of the original costing sheet. He must already have this, but your suppliers discounts etc are your business only.

 

[jumpin jax]

Everytime i have an issue it is because of a 'middle man'. They never tell the customer the whole truth and then come back when it all comes crashing. I installed some uplights a couple of weeks ago and even asked the project manager what spec, he said just uplights, told the project manager the size and wattage in an email, fitted them and the customer is moaning they are not what they wanted, thank god for my email.

 

[dagrat]

dagrat, even if he is refering to the extras list, is it usual to give a list of actual costs.

as simple example if client wants 1 consumer unit at which is priced individually at 75 notes
and i buy 5 for 'van stock' at 50 notes i still charge the customer 75 notes surely?

yes your right, you never pass on any personal discounts

 

[Marvo]

Are you sure he's asking for what you think he's asking for? I'd want to know why he feels he needs to know my cost prices. The answer would still be no but I'd be interested to know why.

 

[dagrat]

Additionally you should have included an on cost of all materials, which is usually about 20% to provide your profit on the materials.
think he's trying it on, don't back down, as in my experience the higher the level of money they owe you, the more they feel they have a right to make you reduce it.

 

[dcelectrical]

marvo, thats why i cut and past the content of my email.

i stopped talking to the builder on phone or face to face as he seems to think that i forget things like agreeing to cap my extras bill to 1k,
which seems reasonable until you learn that the kitchen is redesigned twice after first fix and filling and that in the av room although you installed all the cables into the right hand side of the room i have convinced the client that it would be better in the centre so you are going to have to extend the thirty something cables

 

[i=p/u]

i say dont back down if agreed price and itemise the extras... builders are c u . . s when comes to paying... i have expierience at minute and my first expierience and im rippin cause i cant afford loss as not established and running long enough yet..

 

[MDJ]

i say dont back down if agreed price and itemise the extras... builders are c u . . s when comes to paying... i have expierience at minute and my first expierience and im rippin cause i cant afford loss as not established and running long enough yet..

I could'nt have said it better myself, and to add I have never met one with a brain yet, I hate builders.

 

[Octopus]

He wants the original bills to claim the VAT back

 

[Marvo]

Yeah, the extras is always a lively debate at the end of a contract. We get a variation order signed either by the architect or the client for every single extra we perform, no matter how small. We often waive the right to charge for some of the smaller variations but only at our discretion and this usually depends on how ---- they are with the snagging.

 

[i=p/u]

i.e on one house he priced a dormer @ £1500, then said it cost him £2400, we move onto next house and prices a bigger dormer @ £1800 then bills the lady @ £5k.. knowing the first dormer cost him more than he quoted for the bigger one.... and ive been waiting 6 weeks for nearly 2k... time is killing me from killing him..... wholsalers crying a little and wifey saying whats for christmas .. pete tong 3 es forget about it if i didnt care.. ahhhhhhhhhh rant over

 

[dcelectrical]

i have learnt 1 thing tonight,
MDJ is not keen on builders.

sadly this week i have had to learn about trying to get money back via the courts, first experience in 8 years, makes me a bit sad you have to take these people to court, one of my client have had 17 reminders of 15 months, but i am now taking him to court over £288. for a job he instructed me to carry out on his clients behalf (managing agent). now fed up with the excuses.